Hi, my name is Shannon Vongsavang. I am a student at CCRI in the process of completing my Early Childhood Education Certificate, and planning on pursuing my Associate’s Degree, to one day transfer to RIC to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree. At the same time, I am also a mother of a 3-year-old girl named Vivian and a current employee at both CCRI and Learning Brooke Daycare.
In the past, I attended a class to try to obtain a Teacher Assistant Certificate at the Met High School. Unfortunately, I did not succeed. At first, I felt discouraged and devastated when I got the news of not passing the state test, but as I walked out of the classroom, I realized I shouldn’t be upset over a test. I shouldn’t let a test define my worth of who I am or what I am capable of. This isn’t what I want my future students to believe whenever they feel discouraged or want to give up just because the road is a bit tougher than they expected. Indeed, I may not pass all tests but that doesn’t mean I have failed. I just need to pick myself up and find a better approach that meets my learning needs or find what works best for me.
I have met many great people over the course of my life but my teachers have always played an important role. A good teacher can teach students something that they will remember for a day, but a great teacher will teach students something that you will remember for the rest of their life. My teachers are much like a second parent or family to me. They have influenced who I am as a person and taught me to work hard and always to do my best. If I can be half the teachers that they are, I’ll consider myself successful.
As a mother, I am constantly being challenged. Every day is like a constant battlefield with my 3-year-old going on 13. It could be little things such as getting ready for school. Although we may bicker at times, my daughter truly has unconditional love for me and expresses this very often. She is also a huge inspiration for me to become a better version of myself.
From the moment she was born to the 1st moment I held her in my arms, I recognized the responsibility in which I had been entrusted as a parent. My every word and action would influence her aspects of life. I just knew that I had to set an example and be the best person I could be for her sake. Like all parents, I want what is best for my child and for her to succeed in life.
Vivian’s journey in wanting to become a doctor after watching Doc Mcstuffin reminds me of how much I love this stage, where she believes she can be anything she wants to be and that anything is possible. Happily playing along as her sidekick, I pray she never loses her sense of wonder and to always believe she can achieve anything once she puts her mind into it. She inspires me more every day, and, I have to admit, reassures me that I am doing a pretty good job at this whole mom thing.
Working with children of all ages has always been a passion of mine. I enjoy seeing young children develop as little human beings while exploring the environment around them. To me, it’s so rewarding seeing every child progress and show happiness when they have achieved something for the first time. The smiles and enjoyment that the children bring on a daily basis make my day worthwhile. I also enjoy communicating with older children, helping them in the best way I can, and watching them prosper into young adults as they move forward with their individual lives. My goal is to help make a difference in students lives one step at a time.
Being a student, a worker, and a full-time mother is challenging but I know it will lead me to a greater path of success and I will continue to keep striving forward. Vivian is my motivation. She is my reason why. When I look at her, I know that I can do anything as long as she is my focus. I believe that as parents, we make many sacrifices for the love of our children. But our educations should not be one of them.
